Sports News Roundup: Ice hockey-Konstantin Koltsov, former NHL player and boyfriend of Sabalenka, dead at 42; Tennis-Raducanu withdraws from Miami Open - media reports say and more

The deal makes Johnson the highest-paid nickel back in the NFL, per the report. Spring training roundup: Dane Myers hits walk-off HR for Marlins Dane Myers hit a walk-off home run with two outs and two strikes to lift the Miami Marlins to a 6-5 win over the Houston Astros in spring training action on Monday in Jupiter, Fla. Myers' third homer of the spring came off Cole McDonald (0-2), who had struck out the first two batters of the ninth inning.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Cowboys LB Leighton Vander Esch (neck) retiring

Former Dallas Cowboys linebacker Leighton Vander Esch announced Monday that he is medically retiring from the NFL after six seasons. The team released the 28-year-old veteran on Friday with a failed physical designation due to a lingering neck injury.

MLB 2024: Can anybody contend with the Dodgers?

Everything that makes Shohei Ohtani the star he has become was on display in his Los Angeles Dodgers spring training debut when he struck out, grounded into a double play and then rebounded to hit a towering opposite-field home run to left field. It was just a tune-up game that did not even attract a capacity crowd, and getting credit for digging out from a self-made hole is a dubious distinction. But the result was more evidence of what has become clear: Ohtani is as talented as they come and able to change his fortunes at a moment's notice.

NBA roundup: Anthony Edwards' 32 points propel Wolves past Jazz

Anthony Edwards scored 13 of his 32 points in the fourth quarter to lift the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 114-104 win over the Utah Jazz on Monday night in Salt Lake City. Edwards started slowly but made 13 of 23 shots from the floor, including one of the most dazzling highlight dunks of the season, en route to his team-record 27th 30-point game of 2023-24.

Soccer-Messi sidelined for Argentina friendlies with injury

Argentina captain Lionel Messi is out of this month's friendlies in the United States due to a hamstring injury, the country's FA (AFA) said on Monday. The 36-year-old forward missed Inter Miami's Major League Soccer game at DC United on Saturday after coming off injured in their midweek CONCACAF Champions League win against Nashville.

Report: Bills to re-sign DB Taron Johnson to 3-year deal

The Buffalo Bills are re-signing defensive back Taron Johnson to a three-year deal worth $31 million, his agent told ESPN on Monday. The deal makes Johnson the highest-paid nickel back in the NFL, per the report.

Spring training roundup: Dane Myers hits walk-off HR for Marlins

Dane Myers hit a walk-off home run with two outs and two strikes to lift the Miami Marlins to a 6-5 win over the Houston Astros in spring training action on Monday in Jupiter, Fla. Myers' third homer of the spring came off Cole McDonald (0-2), who had struck out the first two batters of the ninth inning. The shot to right center completed a Marlins rally from down 3-0 and 5-2, ignited when Jake Burger and Jazz Chisholm Jr. hit back-to-back homers in the sixth.

Ice hockey-Konstantin Koltsov, former NHL player and boyfriend of Sabalenka, dead at 42

Konstantin Koltsov, the Belarusian former pro ice hockey player and boyfriend of tennis player Aryna Sabalenka, has died at the age of 42, Russian club Salavat Yulaev said in a statement on Tuesday. Forward Koltsov played for the Belarus national team in the 2002 and 2010 Olympics and spent parts of three seasons with the National Hockey League's Pittsburgh Penguins from 2002 and 2006.

Tennis-Raducanu withdraws from Miami Open - media reports say

Britain's Emma Raducanu has withdrawn from the Miami Open on the eve of her first-round match due to a lower back injury, multiple news outlets reported on Monday. The former U.S. Open champion missed most of last season after having surgeries on her ankle and both wrists.

Brimming popularity, star power has everyone watching women's sports

"Everyone watches women's sports." So reads the phrase on TOGETHXR's $45 t-shirts and hoodies popularized by some of the giants in the game, a statement garment worn under South Carolina coach Dawn Staley's blazer last week and by UCLA head coach Cori Close to the press conference to break down the highest tournament seed in program history on Sunday night.

Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani to begin throwing program

Los Angeles Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani will begin a throwing program that could allow him to be more than just a designated hitter this season. Manager Dave Roberts made the announcement on Monday in Seoul, South Korea, where the Dodgers will open the season with games against the San Diego Padres on Wednesday and Thursday.

(With inputs from agencies.)